Book-like toy



March 3, 1936. M EATON 2,032,531

' BOOK-LIKE TOY Filed Jan. 6, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l [FINE B K mm Mm TQDA MARTHA EATON INVENTOR BY MARTHA EATON ATTORN EY March 3, 1936.

' M. EATON 2,032,531

BOOK-LIKE TOY Filed Jan. 6, 1934. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f2? 27 V n a Q J 5/ O Q o 6 8; i 8 g '2 o g o fig fig-$ INVENTOR BY MARTHA EATON TTORNEY March 3, 1936. M. EATON 2,032,531

BOOK-LIKE TOY Filed Jan. 6, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 q 27 ni B 1K mm mug mm A H i'L-I Ill UL) 01 58% E 99 5 0308 I \/W 0 0 I E I 7 85% I o I Wo g 8 m Fig. 4

INVENTOR BY MARTHA EATON ATTORNEY March 3, 1936. M, EATON 2,032,531

BOOK-LIKE TOY Filed Jan. 6, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR NAR THA EATON BY Q (MW ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOK-LIKE TOY Martha Eaton, Crestwood, N. Y.

Application January 6, 1934, Serial No. 705,511

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a book-like toy adapted to be transformed into a play house.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a book-like toy for a childs instructive entertaimnent.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a book-like toy which will be an educational and constructive stimulus for a child.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a book-like toy which is initially in the form of a book having printed pages which may contain any suitable literature for a child to read in conjunction with the assembly of the It is also an object of the present invention to provide a toy which may be converted from the form of a book to a toy house containing furniture, auxiliaries, and the like.

It is also within the contemplation of the invention to provide a toy which may be constructed from an integral blank in a simple, inexpensive, and commercially practical manner.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a book-like toy embodying the present invention when closed in the form of a book;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the book shown in Fig. 1 opened to a position for reading;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the back of the book in its closed position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the original blank with the inside house members exposed to view;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the reverse side of the blank shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a book-like toy when in the form of an open book to illustrate the preferred method of folding the blank as shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the erected house.

In manufacturing the book-like toy, it is preferred to stamp out a blank such as is depicted in Figs. 4 and 5 which may comprise an arrangement of six panels as shown. When these panels are folded correctly as will be more fully described hereinafter, it is possible to transform the blank into a book. When so converted, the book preferably has several pages which may be mounted and turned in the customary manner and may contain any suitable literature, pictures or the like. For example, if the house is a replica of a famous house in history, such as Edgar Allen Poes, it is preferred to include a little appropriate story associated with Poe, a poem of his, an anecdote or a little interesting background to be read in conjunction with the building of the toy house. In this manner, a 5 child is initially attracted to the book-like toy itself, to the book-form and to the story therein. The book with its story is an object of interest; the house a thing of meaning, the combination of which encourages a child to read the story 10 and learn as he plays.

The book-like toy may then be transformed into a house or similar structure by correctly following out the prescribed steps. In doing so, the child is thoroughly entertained and his constructive faculties are stimulated. Furthermore once the house has been completed, it is possible to reconvert it into a book again.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 of the drawings, reference characters I and 2 represent front and back panels which will ultimately form the front and back covers of the book respectively. On each side of the said panels are annexed side panels 3 and 4 by the creases 5 and 6 about which the side panels are adapted to be folded. On the lower edge of front panel I, swinging on crease 9 is an extension comprising center panels I and 8. After the side panels 3 and 4 have been folded over onto front and back panels I and 2, and the center panels 1 and 8 are then folded over onto side panels 3 and 4 respectively, the blank takes the form of the open book as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Greases l0 and II are provided between the two sets of center panels to permit the. book to be folded closed.

Assembled in this way, the book has three leaves, namely, the leaf formed by panels I, 3 and I, the leaf formed by panel 8, and the leaf formed by panels 2 and 4. A suitable story may be printed on these pages, preferably on the 4.0 center panels I and 8' which form the first two pages of the book and which later form parts of the house.

The outside cover of the book may be decorated as desired in any fitting manner. The cover shown in Fig. 1 is merely illustrative and any other appropriate design may be used.

In transforming the book into a house, the blank is first unfolded and laid out fiat, with the inner-house members uppermost, as shown in Fig. 4. The wall members are then partly severed and slanting roofs 29 and 30 formed by cutting partway down along edges 5, II, and 6 to the lines 25 and 26 respectively. The gables on panels 2 and 3 may be either cut out or formed by folding along the proper dotted lines. Panel 8 may also be severed from panel 1 by cutting along the crease I0. This panel may be used to provide cut-outs in the form of furniture and auxiliaries for use in connection with the house. For example, the table l5 and other suggested cut-outs I6, ll, 18 and I9 are illustrated.

In assembling the house, after the proper cuts have been made, the wall member panels I, 2, 3 and 4 are brought into an upright position by folding along the edge 9. The wall panels are then brought into a quadrilateral relation by folding along the connecting creases 5, 6 and II. The wall members may be held in place in any suitable or customary manner, as by gummed tabs or the like. It is preferred to provide a string which may be laced through holes 20 and 2| so as to pass under the floor panel 1 and finally knotted together. This string may be furnished with the book-like toy to tie the same as shown in Fig. 3, thus serving a dual purpose.

The roofs 29 and 30 are folded inwardly along the creases 25 and 26 so as to lay against their respective gables. The said roofs may be held in place by passing a string through holes 21 and '28 which string may then be securely knotted. -Of course, other suitable means may be used for securing and holding the various members together.

It is to be observed that the inside of the house may be thrown open to the child by merely swinging out the front wall panel 4 which is hingedly fastened to the panel 2. In this manner, furniture and other interior auxiliaries may be arranged inside according to the childs taste and desires.

Directions are preferably provided to instruct the child in constructing the house and auxiliaries. Likewise directions may be furnished for making a chimney and other additional features which can be added.

In practice it has been found preferable to use cardboard of fairly substantial rigidity for the book-like toy, but it is obvious that there are many other suitable materials. Furthermore, binding tape on the creases may be added in order to increase the life of the book-like toy, although, of course, that is not necessary. 7

It is to be observed that the present invention provides a transformable book which possesses much amusement, entertainment, and educationalvalue for a child and which is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is also'to be observed that, heretofore, toys for children have been provided in the form of houses and the like which were constructed from an integral blank. The making of such toys is not new in the art. The sole benefit which was derived from these prior toys was in the assembling and in playing with the completed house. There was no attraction in the initial blank per se, apart from the desire to construct the house, nor was there anything in the blank itself, from which the child could learn anything in conjunction with or supplementing the assembling of the house. In short, the initial blank was little or no attraction per se and the toy only became useful and instructive once it was being assembled.

'in the appended claims.

Furthermore, once the toys were completed, they would provide little incentive to take them down and reconvert them to the initial unattractive blank. The fun of building, so to speak, was over.

' On the other hand, the combination, as disclosed in the present invention, creates a meaning for the house. A tradition, background and understanding is imparted to the book-like toy, from which the child not only derives far greater pleasure but also much useful information and knowledge.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be observed that modifications and variations may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined Thus, more than six panels may be provided so that the book may have additional pages. For instance, two additional center panels maybe attached to the top vof panel 2, opposite to and in the manner of panels 1 and 8. In this combination, the book-like toy has four leaves instead of three and the additional panels may be used for further cut-outs and auxiliaries, and for wall members. In this manner, part of the center panels may be pro- .vided to form house members and contain the panels of equal size serving as pages of a book, each of said panels bearing likeness of an interior surface of a house on one side and bearing likeness of an exterior surface of a house on the other side, said panels capable of being arranged upright quadrilaterally to form the walls of a house, two opposite panels of this plurality adapted to have gables out out from the tops thereof and the adjacent panels of said plurality adapted tohaving their upper portions folded inwardly'in roof simulating position, and an oblong pan'elbearing likeness of a floor sur;

I face attached to one panel of saidiplurality.

2. A book-like toy capable of being converted into a playhouse comprising four hingedly associated oblong panels of equal size serving as pages of a book, each of said panels bearing likeness of an interior surface of a house on one side and -bearing likeness of an exterior surface of a house on the other side, said panels capable of being arranged upright quadrilaterally to form the walls of a house, two opposite panels'adapted to have gables cut out from the tops thereof and the other two panels adapted to having their upper portion folded'back inwardly in roof-simulating position, and an oblong panel bearing likeness of "a floor surface attached to one of said four panels.

MARTHA EATON. 

